1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a folding top of a cabriolet vehicle having a foldable top lining which can be adjusted between closed and stowed positions.
2. Related Technology
A folding top of said type is known from practice and constitutes an adjustable roof of a motor vehicle designed as a cabriolet. The known folding top comprises a foldable top lining which can be adjusted by a top linkage between a closed position, in which it covers a vehicle interior, and a stowed position, in which it opens up the vehicle interior in an upward direction. In the stowed position, the top lining is arranged together with the top linkage in a rear-end top stowage compartment. In its closed position, the top lining is secured, via a front hoop assigned to the top linkage, to a front cowl of the respective vehicle, which front cowl borders a windshield at the upper edge thereof.
Furthermore, the top linkage of the known folding top comprises, at both sides of a vertical top longitudinal central plane, in each case one link arrangement with a rear-window link to which there is articulatedly connected a rigid rear window which extends in a vehicle transverse direction. The rear window is normally bordered by the top lining. The rear-window link is articulatedly connected via a single rotary joint to a base element which may be a bow link of the top linkage or else the main bearing thereof. During the adjustment of the top linkage, the rear window thus always moves relative to the base element on a circular path, such that the rear window is also stowed in a constrained position in the top stowage compartment.
It is alternatively known for rear windows to be articulatedly connected to a top linkage via a four-bar mechanism. This involves high costs and also takes up a large amount of installation space. Furthermore, with said articulated connection technique, the rear window is also stowed in a constrained position in the top stowage compartment, which can result in stresses within the top structure.